Co-Extra will present the final results of four years of scientific research on the management of GMO and non-GMO production and their derivates from farm to fork.

The EU is giving to both farmers and consumer freedom of choice between 'genetically modified' (GM) and non-GM products. For this to be a real choice, however, there must be co-existence of the GM and non-GM agri-foodstuff chains. This is the challenge researchers on the Co-Extra project were seeking to meet. Its main aim was to develop cost-effective and reliable approaches to supply chain separation and the development of enhanced traceability tools, e.g.:

• Co-existence at the farm level: managing gene flow including agricultural and biological containment techniques to minimise admixture of GM and non-GM products
• Enhanced tools for traceability: sampling strategies, new detection methods, identification and quantification of GM ingredients in crops, food and feed supply chains (including detection of unapproved GMOs)
• Identification of critical points of potential admixture in the supply chains and how to manage GM and non-GM product lines
• Economic (cost/benefit) aspects of co-existence and traceability in the food and feed supply chains
• Liability and redress issues associated with managing crop production and supply chains
• Supporting technologies for effective supply chain management, including a software-based decision support system (DSS)
• Stakeholder views on co-existence

Notes to editors:
Co-Extra is a European Commission research project in the 6th Framework Programme priority 5 – Food Safety and Quality (www.coextra.eu). The project is conducted by more than 200 scientists in 51 organisations in 18 countries (European countries, Brazil, Argentina and Russia). The programme runs from 2005 until 2009 and has a total budget of €22 million (€13 million from EC). Co-Extra’s conclusions contribute to the progress of standardisation in Europe - thereby preserving farmer’s and consumers’ freedom of choice between GM and non-GM products.